Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday claimed that two individuals had met him in New Delhi before the 2024 Maharashtra assembly polls and "guaranteed" the Opposition's victory in 160 of 288 constituencies.
Addressing the media in Nagpur, Pawar said he introduced the duo to the Leader of the Opposition, Rahul Gandhi.
The disclosure by Pawar comes amid a huge row over Gandhi's 'vote theft' charge against the BJP and the Election Commission.
"Two persons met me in New Delhi before the 2024 assembly polls in Maharashtra. They offered to help the Opposition (Maha Vikas Aghadi) win 160 of the 288 seats with a guarantee," Pawar claimed.
"I introduced them to Rahul Gandhi. He ignored what was told to him. He was also of the view that we (Opposition) shouldn't get involved in such things and go to the people directly," he added.
Pawar claimed that since he didn't assign any importance to claims made by the two individuals, he didn't possess their names and contact details.
Pawar demanded a detailed probe by the Election Commission into Rahul Gandhi's allegations of 'vote theft' to remove doubts about the integrity of the electoral process and the Election Commission's image.
Pawar also questioned the logic behind the Election Commission asking Gandhi to file an affidavit and provide information under oath.
Rahul Gandhi on Thursday claimed a 'huge criminal fraud' in the polls through 'collusion' between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Election Commission, citing an analysis of voter rolls in a constituency in Karnataka last year.
A day after, he alleged that the Election Commission and the BJP colluded to 'steal' the Lok Sabha election from the people, and that there was 'vote theft' in at least three states.
"Rahul Gandhi's presentation on vote theft was well-researched and well-documented. A detailed inquiry is needed into the concerns raised by him to clear doubts (about the integrity of the electoral process) among people. 'Doodh ka doodh aur paani ka paani hona chaiye'. I feel the inquiry will bring out the truth," Pawar told reporters.
He stated that since the Election Commission is an independent body, it shouldn't ask for a separate declaration from Gandhi.
"Gandhi had also said this in Parliament. It is not proper for the Election Commission to ask for an oath (declaration) from him," he said.
Soon after Rahul Gandhi levelled the charge asserting that 'vote chori' is an 'atom bomb on our democracy', the chief electoral officers of Karnataka and Maharashtra asked him to share names of electors he claimed were 'wrong' in the voters' list along with a signed declaration for poll authorities to initiate 'necessary proceedings' in the matter.
The Election Commission on Friday accused Rahul Gandhi of recycling old allegations of poll irregularities settled by the Supreme Court, and asked the Congress leader to provide a written declaration on his claims about wrongful entries in the voters' list or tender an apology.
Addressing a press conference at the Congress headquarters, Rahul Gandhi also alleged that the Maharashtra assembly polls' results had confirmed the Congress's suspicion that the election was 'stolen'.
When asked if the voters' rolls' manipulation charge has sullied the Election Commission's image, Pawar said, "The issue raised by Rahul Gandhi with authentic proof cannot be ignored. A detailed probe will only bring out the truth."
If there is no truth in what we are saying, the Election Commission should clearly say so, he said, adding that the prestige of a crucial institution like the Election Commission should be maintained.
The BJP won 132 seats in the assembly elections with its allies the Shiv Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar) adding 57 and 41 constituencies respectively to the saffron tally.
The Maha Vikas Aghadi, which bagged 30 of the 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra months before the assembly elections were held, had attributed its rout to discrepancies in EVMs and fudging of data.
Pawar dismissed Rahul Gandhi's criticism by BJP leaders and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who alleged that the allegations raised by the Opposition leader were "scripted".
"If the objection is directed to the Election Commission, what's the need for the BJP or the chief minister to comment? We want answers from the Election Commission and not from anyone else," the veteran politician added.
The Opposition, he said, will organise a march to the Election Commission on Monday.
Pawar accused Union Home Minister Amit Shah of trying to divert the issue by shirking his responsibility.
Pawar was responding to reported remarks by Shah, who stated that the INDIA bloc is troubled because votes of intruders are being removed from the voters' rolls.
"The vote fraud revelation by Rahul Gandhi has raised the concerns of voters in Karnataka, Maharashtra, and a state where elections aren't scheduled now, and no one has raised the issue of any problem," Pawar said.
"It was the home minister's responsibility to respond to the concerns raised (by Rahul Gandhi) after a detailed study before people; however, he tried to divert this issue," Pawar added.
The parties in the INDIA bloc will discuss the issue of the vice president's elections soon, Pawar said.
"We may sit together after a week or ten days. We haven't held detailed discussions so far."
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